Business

Stanhope speaks, Brodburger stays

According to the Crimes Jon Stanhope spoken in support of Brodburger, ”I support the Brodburger location, the van, the service they provide and it’s enormously popular. The people of Canberra are certainly voting with their feet and their stomach.”

The NCA, too, is happy for Brodburger to stay operating from their current Bowen Park location provided they agree to operate from a purpose-built kiosk that meets the NCA’s aesthetic criteria.

National Capital Authority chief executive Gary Rake was quoted in the paper saying, ”If there was a small kiosk that was next door to the toilet block and was built of the same sort of bricks and the same colour roof, that would be perfectly okay.”

Apparently the response from owner Joelle was, “Oh yuck!”

However, it does appear that relevant authorities are prepared to make some sort of compromise and on the basis of this latest article the ball would appear to be in Brodburger’s court.

The cost of the kiosk would need to be covered privately or by the ACT Government, so it will be interesting to see how deep Stanhope’s support runs.

What about the coffee/cake van on the opposite side of the lake, near the Carillion? She is always there, and even has tables and chairs set up. Why is that van not seen as an ‘eyesore’ and given the same ultimatum as Brod? There is a double standard going on

There is no need to build another kiosk there and I personally wouldn’t like to see taxpayer money spent on this. Considering there is an empty kiosk site at a top location down on the lake, I can’t see why they couldn’t just ask them to move there?
All those people milling around waiting for burgers would add an awesome evening atmosphere to the lakeside and you get to enjoy the gorgeous view while you eat!

Not sure if I’m into buying burgers from what looks like a gay beat. Apparently, they’re really good though.

Anyway, NCA please stop any spontaneity in government planned, government run, government town. If there should really be a burger joint there, there would have been a 3 year consultation process giving 15 public servants jobs, and then it would be run by a community group, and be carbon neutral.

Why must the NCA get all het up about the brodburger, when they should instead be worrying about the proliferating crap developments that remove (egalitarian) lake vistas from the public and into the hands of developers and their (exclusive) buyers, such as the appalling kingston foreshore ‘waterview’ (for the rich) apartments, or whatever they are called. THESE are the developments that are anti-Canberran, not burger vans.

Agreed. Now if they were to complain about the growing parking and litter problem that Brodburger is contributing to, then that would be different. But if that’s not a concern for the NCA, then the red van look is all part of the appeal. Just leave it be.

Brodburger should apply for ‘temporary permit’ for 3 years or so. the NCA are happy to approve ‘temporary signage’ for several years duration. It is approving anything permanent that they are petrified of.

What I can’t understand is how, given some of the crappy architecture that they have approved, the NCA can say that this van does not meet their “aesthetic criteria”. I didn’t realise that there was such a thing. The new ASIO HQ is just the latest in a long string of abysmal planning decisions.

The NCA need to have a good, hard look at themselves, and at some of the grubby things they’ve approved, and then ask themselves why this van shouldn’t stay.

However, I do agree with I-filed to some extent – proper rent should be paid, proper approvals obtained and appropriate fees and charges applied (if that’s not the case now).

Why must the NCA get all het up about the brodburger, when they should instead be worrying about the proliferating crap developments that remove (egalitarian) lake vistas from the public and into the hands of developers and their (exclusive) buyers, such as the appalling kingston foreshore ‘waterview’ (for the rich) apartments, or whatever they are called. THESE are the developments that are anti-Canberran, not burger vans.

I think a case could be made that a van, even one as vulgar as the Brodburger van, could stay on historical grounds. There is a long tradition of ‘transportable structure’ food vans in Canberra. Dollys, The Burmese food van, the one in Belco near the Labor Club, the one that used to be near the Belco tip and others. i even recall one opening in campbell servo when the take-away place closed own. By their nature they serve a need which may be limited in its requirement.

Ive seen the lovely brick shithouse that the NCA think serves as a role model for kiosks. they are insane. id rather a gypsy caravan than that bland box. too many of which already blight Canberra, infecting us with dull blandness.

At least when the Brodburger fad passes, the van will go. If the NCA built a bland brick shithouse, it would exist for years, with a series of vendors losing their life savings in vain attempts to fill a space.

Can the NCA not understand that we, the population of Canberra, do not have a problem with the red van in its cut=rrent configuration and location? That we like the look and feel of this slightly tawdry van on the very edge of the stuffy parliamentary triangle? That there really is no justifiable reason to knock the character out of the Brodburger phenomenon by replacing character with blandness? Can’t they just work with the owners, the ACT guvmnt, and their own, to just monitor the site to ensure that it doesn’t become an eyesore, and leave well enough alone?

What will happen if the current owners become bored and leave, or sell out to someone who fails? Under the current arrangment, the van simply need to be towed away and Bowen Park is restored to a simple unassuming place once again. Under the NCA requirement for a permanent structure, chances are we would end up with another empty shell defaced by graffiti etc.

Bureaucrats excel at tunnel vision and I fear this is the perfect example.